Race-course implement



J an. 9, 1923. LMLMK C. M. WAITE.

HACE COURSE IMPLEMENT. A Y

FILED DEC. 15, 1920.` s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1923.

C. IVI, WAHE. 1,441,647.

RACE COURSE IMPLENIENT.

FILED DEC. 15, 1920. 3 SHEETSSHEET 3,

'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII' 'llllilllllllllllll 'MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIW' lllllllllillllll' 'Patented dan. 9, i923. l

CHARLES M. WAITE,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

neon-COURSE IMPLEMENT.

Application filed December 15, 1920. Serial No. 430,923.

To all whom t may concern Be it known thatl I, CHARLES M. WAITE, av

citizenof the United States, and resident of the city of New lYork, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Race-Course Implements, of which the following isa specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in `race-course implements and more particularly to a mechanism for facilitating the starting of the horses on the race-course.

In starting the race, the horses are usually aligned by lmeans of a tape or barrier stretched across the course, the tape or barrier being removed as a part of the signal for starting. The race horses are placed in a predetermined order, usually determined by lot drawing, in rear of the tape or barrier, and are to be kept at their proper places until the tape or barrier is withdrawn. While it has been found comparatively easy to hold the horses in alignment by the tape or barrier, ,it is almost impossible to keep.

the same in the predetermined order behind the said 4tape or barrier. Other difficulties, in starting, have been experienced for the reason that the jockeys tend to gain, immediately after the start, the most favorable positions on the track, cutting across the same and thereby interfering with theothers.

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties mentioned by providing a plurality ofstalls, disposed in rear of the starting tape or barrier, into which the horses are placed in a predetermined order hnd in which they'are confined until the .starting si nal has been given.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the said stalls that .they are causedto recede from the horses at the starting signal, thereby simultaneously freeing the same, yet confining them a sufficient time to prevent their cutting across the track immediately after the start. 'y

A further object of the invention is to so design the stalls that they may be conveniently removed from the track, to prevent interference with the race.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an implement of the character mentioned which is simple in construction, efficient in operation and easily manipulable.

Another object of the invention is to combine the barrier with the stalls in such a manner that the said barrier is caused to be withdrawn and the stalls to be 4actuated by a single operating means.

With these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described, pointed; out in the appended 'claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and proportion of the several parts and details of construction within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Une of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure l is a perspective view of a racing implement constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3*?) of Fig. 2, on a larger scale; Fig. 4 is a `side elevation of a modified racing implement; Fig. 5 is asection taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 through two adjoining stall elements, on a larger scale; and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric circuits of the modification shown in Figs. l and 5.

Generally speaking, the device comprises a frame, which is placed across the racecourse at the starting point, and on which are slidably mounted a plurality of spaced parallel stall-bars, movable longitudinally on said frame in a direction'whi'ch the horses take on the track, said bars being under tension and combined with means for holding the same in their projected positions, means being also provided for releasing said bars, thereby permitting their tension devices to act.I

In the drawings, the numeral l() indicates the supportin frame, which is, preferably, of such a wic th that it extends across the racecourse. This frame may be of any suitable construction, it-comprising, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of spaced apart sections 11,- each section including a pair of uprights l2, mounted upon a base plate 13 and connected at their upper ends by a longitudinal tie-bar 14. These frame sections are connected by horizontally extending transverse tiebars l5.

On each frame sectionis slidably mounted a stall-bar 16, capable of movement on lsaid section in the direction of 'its longitudinal axis. The stall-bars extend in parallel relation, they being spaced apart a distance to conveniently confine alhorse between an adjoining pair of the same. Each stall-bar is of substantially inverted U-shape and rests on two supports 17, rising from the respective frame ysection 11. In order to' prevent undue friction between the stallbars and the supports 17, the latter carry each a pair of vertically extending anti-fric- -tion rollersj18, bearing against the inner faces of the vertical flanges 19 of the stallbars, and a'horizontally disposed anti-friction roller 20, on whiclA the horizontal web portion 21 of the stall-bar rests. With the rollers. co-operate guides 22 on the inner faces of the U-'shaped stall-bars, to insure a proper movement ofthe latter on the saidsupports. As appears from Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, the supports 17 .f extend into the stall-bars and the rollers above mentioned are disposed within the same. The outer vertical faces of the stall-bars are provided 'with a covering 23 of wood, or similar material, toprevent injury to the horses. The stall-barsV are connected by a transverse bar 24, mounted upon their rear ends, whereby the said bars are caused to move together, as will hereinafter appear.

With each stall-bar co-operates a tension device, for instance a heavy rubber band 25, attached to the front end of the stall-bar and to the respective frame section 11. These rubber bands are under tension when the stall-bars are brought to their operative positions, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 Iof the drawings, in which they project a considerable distance in front of the supporting frame 10. In order to hold these bars inl their projected positions, latches 26 are provided. Any suitable number of these latches may be made use of, preferably two, mounted upon the outermost frame sections 11. These latches may be of any suitable construction, icomprising vfor instance each a bolt 27 which extends slidably through a .bracket 28 on a frame section v11 into a keeper 29 on the respective stall-bar 16. The latches are disposed on the rear face of the supporting frame and the keepers are vmounted on the rear ends of the stall-bars.

Each latch includes an operating handle 30, to permit of a convenient disengagement of the same from'the stall-bars.

A wire netting 31 extends across the front face of the supporting frame, so as to prevent the horses .from becoming entangled in said frame.A

In use, the apparatus is placed across the race-course in rear of the 4aligning tape or barrier 'and the stall-bars brought into their projected positions (Figs. 1 and 2), in which they" are confined, against the action of the tensioning devices, by the latch bolts 27 being engaged with the keepers 29. After the horses have been placed into the stalls,

'the aligning tape or .barrier is stretched across the course. 'In this manner the animals are confined in Ialigned positions and are effectively prevented from interfering with one another. When the signal for starting is given, the barrier tape is thrown and simultaneously therewith the latch bolts 27` are disengaged from the keepers 29. The stall-bars are thus, under the action of the tensioning devices, -thrown backwards, free-- Attention is called to the fact that they device is substantially light lin weight and can thus be conveniently removed from the track after the race has been started, or

transported from place to placeon the track, j

etc.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, the stall-bars are combined with the barrier tape. The barrier tape is in this instance made of a plurality of sections, denoted by the numeral l'32, each section connecting two adjoining stall-bars at their front ends. Each of these tape sections is attached to a spring-actuated reel 33, mollnted upon a bracket 34, the latter being lixedly attached to a stall-bar adjacent its front end between its vertical flanges 19. The tape section is adapted to be extended through an aperture 35 in one of the vertical flanges of the stall-bar andl through an aperture 36 into the juxtaposed vertical flange 19 of the next stall-bar in the series, it carrying upon its freeend, for instance, a ring 37 for engagement with the core 38 of a solenoid 39, mounted in any suitable manner within the said stall-bar. The solenoids are inserted into an elec-tric circuit 39, containing a suitable source of electric energy 39 and a switch 40, shown `in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This switch includes a stationary contact point 41 and a movable spring contact point 42, disposed in operative relation to one of the latches. 26, so as to be closed bythe latter when its latch bolt 27 is being disengaged from the keeper 2,9, co-operating therewith. The ar-A rangement is such lthat the contact points of the switch are brought into positions to close the electric circuit an almost unapvpreciable time before the stall-bars are caused tov recede from the horses. In this manner the tape barrier is removed and the stall-bars actuated by a single operation. lhen the electric circuit is closed, the cores of the so-lenoids are disengaged from the rings 37, whereby the tape sections 32 are wound upon the reels 33.

It is obvious that, while herein a specific barrier actuating mechanism has been described, others may just as well be rused without departing from the invention.

What I claim is 1. A race-course implement, comprising a supporting frame placed transversely of the course, a plurality of spaced parallel stall-bars slidable in the direction of their longitudinal axes on said frame at right angles to the starting line of the course, co-

acting means on said frame and bars for holding the latter in projected positions on said frame, and means for automatically retracting said bars when said holding means are disengaged from each other.

2. A race-course implement, comprising a supporting frame placed transversely of the course, a plurality of spaced parallel stall-bars slidable in the direction of their longitudinal axes on said frame at right angles to the starting line of the course, coacting means on said `frame and bars for holding the latter'in projecting positions on said frame, and a plurality of springs for retracting said bars when said holding means are disengaged from each other.

3.. A race-course implement, comprising a supporting frame placed transversely of the course, a plurality of spaced parallel stall-bars slidable in the direction of their longitudinal aXes on said frame at right angles to the starting line of the course, means for holding said stall-bars in projected positions on said frame, and automatic means for retracting said bars when said holding means is rendered inoperative.

il. A race-course implement according to claim l, comprising a barrier tape made of a plurality of sections, one section being stretched across the front ends of each adjoining pair of stall-bars, whereby closed stalls are formed, andv means connected with said tape sections for simultaneously withdrawing the same, said withdrawing meansl acting immediately before said bar retracting means is rendered operative.

5. In a'race-course implement according to claim 2, comprising a` barrier tape made of a plurality of sections, one section being stretched across the front ends of each adjoining pair of .stall-bars, whereby closed stalls are formed, and means connected with said tape sections for simultaneouslypwith drawing the same, said withdrawing'means acting' immediately before said bar retract ing means is rendered operative.

6. A race-course implement according to claim 3, comprising a barrier tape made of a plurality of sections, one section being stretched across the front ends of each adjoining pair of stall-bars, whereby closed stalls are formed, and means connected with said tape sections for simultaneously withdrawing the same, said withdrawing acting immediately before said bar retracting means is rendered operative.

7. A race-course implement according to .gaging said bar holding means.

8. A race-course implement according to claim 2, comprising a barrier tape made of applurality of sections, each tape section being adapted to be stretched across the front ends of a pair of adjoining stall-bars, a spring-actuated reel carried by one bar of the pair to which said tape section is secured, a solenoid upon the other bar of the pair, a ring upon the free end of the tape section adapted for engagement with the core of thesolenoid, and a normally open electric circuit including all solenoids and a switch, said switch being closed by disengaging said'bar holding means.

9. A race-course implement according to claim 3, comprising a barrier tape made of a plurality of sections, each tape section being adapted to be stretched across lthe front ends of a pair of adjoining stall bars, a spring-actuated reel carried by one bar of the pair to which said tape section is secured, a solenoid upon the other bar of the pair, a, ring upon the free end of the ta e section adapted for engagement with t e core of the solenoid, and a normally open electric circuit including all solenoids and a switch, said switch being closed by rendering said bar holding means inoperative.

igned at New ork, in the county of Newv York and State of New York, this 14th day of December, A. D. 1920.

CHARLES M. WAITE. 

